Charity Commission

How PCC members can take responsibility as charitable trustees

All churches with an income of over £100,000 are now required to register directly with the Charity Commission; their legal status will change from being excepted charities to registered charities.  

If a church has exceeded the £100,000 threshold due to an exceptional and non-recurring item, a dispensation from registration can be obtained.

The following assistance is now available:

  • A streamlined process, involving a part-completed online application form, and guidance notes produced specifically for PCCs.  The sections of the form requiring completion by PCCs are being minimised.
     
  • A leaflet on Trusteeship, based on the Charity Commission publications CC3a 'The Essential Trustee' and CC60 'Hallmarks of an Effective Charity'.  This will build awareness of PCC members’ responsibilities as trustees and add to the internal controls information being produced by the Resources Team.  Offered with this will be a simple tool for clergy to use with their PCCs in a 20-minute discussion on trusteeship.
     
  • Suggested PCC meeting agenda items.
     
  • Dispensation guidance can be found on the Parish Resources Website.

For further information on this issue or details of the available internal controls advice, please contact Cath Gaskell or Gordon Fath 
 

Governing Documents

The Charity Commission, after discussion with the Archbishops' Council, have approved the following as the Governing Documents for all Parochial Church Councils:

  • Parochial Church Councils (Powers) Measure 1956 (as amended).
  • Church Representation Rules (contained in Schedule 3 to the Synodical Government Measure 1969, as amended).

When registering with the Charities Commission, PCCs will not need to provide a copy of these documents.

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